vehicle washing in winter without freezing

[Lisa Robinson]

HELP!!! We live in Michigan and are attempting to continue with a few of our contracts during the winter. We wash school busses and state police cars. How can we do this outside in the winter without the vehicles freezing up? Is there a chemical that we can use in the water or another to wash these vehicles? What are some of the dangers or problems that we might face in doing this?

 

[ron]

cold

if you wash them with hot water double rinse with cold water-cold water wont freeze as fast as hot water. Keep some lock de-icer handy,and maybe make-up some flyers to put on the windshields about testing the brakes before going on the road. [apply them a couple of times to melt any ice.] also be carefull with hot water on cold windshields you can crack them real easy that way.[ever take a glass fresh out of the dishwasher and put in a real cold drink? they sometimes brake.] good luck

 

[Lisa Robinson]

RON,
Thanks for the important information! The last thing we want to do is to crack a couple of windshields on police vehicles. I think it's going to be a very challenging winter trying to maintain these contracts in the cold.
Oh Yeah Ron, also we have been reading a lot about reclaiming water on this site. Is this something that we should be concerned with legally when washing the type of vehicles we described?

EVERYONE ELSE, please keep your suggestions coming. We appreciate all responses.

 

[ron]

My opinion, wash untill you get a warning from someone and if degreasing motors on blacktop or cement get a couple of the oil asorbing tubes[there like cloth bags] to put in front of the catch basins where the water is going. Makes it look like your at least trying and helps the eco-system.